ExiledLichtie Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, Aufc said: Arbroath are always lauded as the best run part time club in the country. Might be true. However, they got pretty lucky during covid as every championship team got £500k in grants no matter their budget which, as a part time team, helped massively. They also got left money in a will which specified must be spent on their stadium which allowed you to extend your main stand which increased your commercial income. Obviously had the season which you almost got promoted from which increased season tickets and sponsorship etc. So all of this combined has allowed them to almost punch above your weight albeit you are probably at your current level. Obviously your injury crisis is pretty bad but it does make you question whether there should be rules about having some youth players which Arbroath have not bothered to invest in (as far as I know). Financial fair play doesn’t seem to be a thing in the lower leagues of Scottish football (that is not a dig at Arbroath alone) Would you like any more straws to cling to? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUcal Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, Aufc said: Financial fair play doesn’t seem to be a thing in the lower leagues of Scottish football (that is not a dig at Arbroath alone) Not sure Arbroath are up to the financial shenanigans you think they are - or have the kind of sporting advantage that you think they do. Can see why FFP in the lower leagues would be of interest to you though. If it had been a thing back in the day maybe Airdrie Version 1.0 might not have ran themselves out of existence. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 New Goalie coach announced. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattie36 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 32 minutes ago, AuAl said: Not sure Arbroath are up to the financial shenanigans you think they are - or have the kind of sporting advantage that you think they do. Can see why FFP in the lower leagues would be of interest to you though. If it had been a thing back in the day maybe Airdrie Version 1.0 might not have ran themselves out of existence. Aye, what were Arbroath supposed to do with the league payout or bequeathement - hand them back or refuse to accept them? There have been times in the not too distant past where Arbroath FC were absolutely on their hunkers financially. A combination of on field success, massively increased engagement with and support from the community, and good financial management (along with the fortunate payments mentioned above) have meant that the club is now apparently in a good place financially. One thing Arbroath have never had, to my knowledge, is any kind of rich benefactor to bankroll and buy success. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1320Lichtie Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 More importantly how the f**k are Airdrie full time - that makes less financial sense for f**k sake. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1320Lichtie Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 19 minutes ago, lichtie23 said: New Goalie coach announced. Been at Dundee United and Hibs very recently - must be no bad - also local. Makes sense 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Just now, 1320Lichtie said: Been at Dundee United and Hibs very recently - must be no bad - also local. Makes sense Ex Montrose manager as well IIRC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aufc Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, 1320Lichtie said: More importantly how the f**k are Airdrie full time - that makes less financial sense for f**k sake. I wouldn’t think we pay overly well. We also don’t have a massive squad. We got promoted this year and signed very little new players. We have performed well in every cup this season. Sold a youth player to Crystal Palace (as the club decided to invest in an academy). Our attendances will be up from last season and our hospitality seems to be sold out every week. I would think, at the moment, we would probably be ok financially. However, my initial point about financial fair play in lower league football could/would have included airdrie in it a couple of seasons ago as we were hybrid/full time in league one although we did play Celtic at parkhead in the cup which would have helped at that time. I reckon it’s pretty hard to be sustainable in that league for most clubs as at the attendances are pretty poor except for Falkirk and it looks they are finally going to get promoted. Arbroath fans are obviously very precious. All I was saying is that you would have got lucky with the covid grants and then getting the money left from the fan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aufc Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 1 hour ago, Tattie36 said: Aye, what were Arbroath supposed to do with the league payout or bequeathement - hand them back or refuse to accept them? There have been times in the not too distant past where Arbroath FC were absolutely on their hunkers financially. A combination of on field success, massively increased engagement with and support from the community, and good financial management (along with the fortunate payments mentioned above) have meant that the club is now apparently in a good place financially. One thing Arbroath have never had, to my knowledge, is any kind of rich benefactor to bankroll and buy success. Surely the covid grant and other money provided were a massive contribution to your on field success? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Housecaptain Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I remember being at an Airdrie game approximately 15 years ago and they were going round with plastic buckets asking fans to contribute to prevent them going bust, a few weeks later they did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lichtie78 Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 We weren't any luckier than any other club that got the covid grant. We got that amount because of our success prior to it, and that certainly wasn't luck. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tattie36 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 28 minutes ago, Aufc said: Surely the covid grant and other money provided were a massive contribution to your on field success? We won L1 and had a good first season in the Championship (5th) before any of that. Of course those payments helped when they came but you say it as if it’s underhand or gives us an unfair advantage. Arbroath got the government payout because we were already a championship team, not to help us get there, and we also had losses to contend with just like all the other teams. The bequeathement was very nice to get but certainly not unusual or unique in football and it was to be used for stadium improvements only. The standard ways that smaller clubs in Scotland fund themselves (on top of the normal gate money, sponsorships, prize money etc) is a combination of transfer money (not really a thing now), drawing either of the old firm away in the cup and hoping it’s also televised, and rich benefactors who are willing to pump shit loads of money into the club for little or no return. Arbroath haven’t sold a player for “big” money since Andy Webster to Hearts in 2001. The last time we played either of the OF away in the cup was in 2012 when we played Celtic and their fans boycotted the game and it wasn’t on tv so there was no big payout. As I said already, Arbroath have (unfortunately) never had a rich benefactor to pump money into the club and all money has been through other means. A financially well managed club should be admired not criticised - perhaps we should go down the other traditional route - spend massively outwith our means to buy success and end up going bust? 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledLichtie Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 2 hours ago, Aufc said: Surely the covid grant and other money provided were a massive contribution to your on field success? The success came before the covid grant, as did the bequest. Success was getting into the championship and surviving. Also, all the championship clubs got that money. You weren't unlucky to not get it, we weren't lucky to get it. Your club was unsuccessful. Arbroath has been gradually built up for 20 years. We had to build a bare bones new stand around the millenium, and after that, we didnt pay a transfer fee for many years as we gradually saved up to build hospitality facilities, social rooms, improved the terracing, replaced the roofs, and gradually professionalised the club with merchandising and sponsorship. We didnt just go bankrupt and then steal another club. For most of those years we were building these things, we were in the league below Airdrie, while presumably Airdrie were frittering their cash away, and we never had media recognition, sold players for big money, or had a wealthy benefactor. You accuse us of being "precious"? What do you expect when you characterise 20 years of hard work as just a bit of luck? 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1320Lichtie Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 3 hours ago, Aufc said: I wouldn’t think we pay overly well. We also don’t have a massive squad. We got promoted this year and signed very little new players. We have performed well in every cup this season. Sold a youth player to Crystal Palace (as the club decided to invest in an academy). Our attendances will be up from last season and our hospitality seems to be sold out every week. I would think, at the moment, we would probably be ok financially. However, my initial point about financial fair play in lower league football could/would have included airdrie in it a couple of seasons ago as we were hybrid/full time in league one although we did play Celtic at parkhead in the cup which would have helped at that time. I reckon it’s pretty hard to be sustainable in that league for most clubs as at the attendances are pretty poor except for Falkirk and it looks they are finally going to get promoted. Arbroath fans are obviously very precious. All I was saying is that you would have got lucky with the covid grants and then getting the money left from the fan. Think @ExiledLichtieand @Tattie36have covered this pretty well Got enough problems to contend with without you waffling shite and trying to stick the boot in for whatever reason The FFP comment is up there with one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever read on here 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aufc Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 31 minutes ago, ExiledLichtie said: The success came before the covid grant, as did the bequest. Success was getting into the championship and surviving. Also, all the championship clubs got that money. You weren't unlucky to not get it, we weren't lucky to get it. Your club was unsuccessful. Arbroath has been gradually built up for 20 years. We had to build a bare bones new stand around the millenium, and after that, we didnt pay a transfer fee for many years as we gradually saved up to build hospitality facilities, social rooms, improved the terracing, replaced the roofs, and gradually professionalised the club with merchandising and sponsorship. We didnt just go bankrupt and then steal another club. For most of those years we were building these things, we were in the league below Airdrie, while presumably Airdrie were frittering their cash away, and we never had media recognition, sold players for big money, or had a wealthy benefactor. You accuse us of being "precious"? What do you expect when you characterise 20 years of hard work as just a bit of luck? Haha fucking hell. You did well to get to the championship and have done well since. The fact all championship clubs, no matter their cost base, got £500k, was a great help to you. This has then helped set you for that great season you which then hugely increased your commercial income. You then got the benefactor cash which allowed you to increase your commercial potential at the right time. This is then allowing you to have such a large squad to try support your current injury crisis. Calm down lads. It’s really not that deep. The FFP comment was aimed at every club in the lower league. Championship club are probably alright due to the crowds and spfl money but league 1 and 2 would be interesting 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost of B A R P Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) Utterly bizarre that anyone would mention Arbroath and concerns about FFP in the same sentence... I was told by someone who ought to know that you had £1.5M in the bank in September 2022: only a fraction of that can be accounted for by the Covid grant; the rest is down to probably the best financial management/club development of any team in the lower divisions. I don't imagine you're in as sound a financial position now (from Scott Allan to paying off a management team takes its toll), but the fact that a part-time club's status in the second tier is mainly under serious threat due to an injury crisis (as opposed to financial problems) says it all. There are (at least) two teams in the league I'd be happy to see you finish above, so let the injury crisis begin to clear up from precisely 5 p.m. this coming Saturday... Edited January 25 by The Ghost of B A R P 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLichtie86 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 I have it on good authourity Dick resigned. Didnt have to pay him or the others a penny. He just didnt think the board would accept his resignation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lichtie23 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Yep. Dick walked and wasn’t sacked 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Passionate Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 7 hours ago, Housecaptain said: I remember being at an Airdrie game approximately 15 years ago and they were going round with plastic buckets asking fans to contribute to prevent them going bust, a few weeks later they did. We will give you the 32 pence back next to time you visit Airdrie if you want.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerafc Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 We didn't extend the main stand for a start. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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